For the next fifteen days, Ning Beichen and Chen Xingyun remained in this place, not venturing out.
Although Ning Beichen possessed the Bronze Ancient Sword, which should have been sufficient to deal with the demon souls, neither master nor disciple wished to stir up trouble. They only wanted to finish their cultivation quickly and reunite with their loved ones.
The third storm finally ended around the seventeenth day, and the energy in the pool had recovered.
After a long wait, Chen Xingyun immediately entered the pool to cultivate.
Ning Beichen stood guard nearby.
However, it wasn't long before A Pang suddenly became flustered.
"A Pang, what's wrong?" Ning Beichen asked him immediately.
"I sense a threat," A Pang said, his voice filled with panic, and he looked as if he wanted to flee.
"Are the demon souls here?" Ning Beichen quickly asked.
A Pang nodded, growing increasingly fearful, as if facing a natural predator.
"What are you afraid of? I'm here!" Ning Beichen told him.
"They're here... they're here," A Pang stammered.
"They? You mean there's more than one?" Ning Beichen asked.
A Pang nodded, trembling, too terrified to speak.
"Living people have courage! No, spirits have courage! You're this big, what are you afraid of them for? If they dare to come, I'll kill them." Ning Beichen's murderous intent flared.
Surprisingly, Chen Xingyun even nodded in agreement with Ning Beichen.
"But, but I'm still very scared. I... I can't beat them." A Pang said fearfully.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here. Whatever demon souls or devils, face life and death with indifference, and fight if you're not convinced!" Ning Beichen's soul, appearing as a small figure, patted A Pang. However, his height only reached A Pang's calf, so the pat was futile.
Chen Xingyun, on the other hand, was better off than Ning Beichen. His soul was nearly at his original height, but compared to A Pang, it was still insignificant, only reaching A Pang's belly.
Despite this, neither master nor disciple shied away from trouble. They didn't seek it out, but they weren't afraid of it either.
Soon, a fierce aura emanated from outside the well opening, like dense black clouds, making even Ning Beichen and Chen Xingyun tense.
"They're here, they're here..." A Pang cowered in a corner, trembling.
"Master, you retreat behind me." Ning Beichen said to Chen Xingyun, who stood beside him.
"You brat..." Just as Chen Xingyun was about to scold him, Ning Beichen interrupted.
"Master, I know you're a Venerable, but we're facing not ordinary enemies, but demon souls. I have the Bronze Ancient Sword, their nemesis. If I can't handle it, it won't be too late for you to act." Ning Beichen explained to his master.
"Alright, but brat, don't push yourself, understand?" Chen Xingyun, knowing Ning Beichen had a point, stopped being overly rigid.
"Don't worry, I will," Ning Beichen replied.
"They're here!" As soon as their voices fell, a massive head emerged from the black mist.
The head had eyes and a nose, and two red horns on its forehead, glaring menacingly as it charged towards Ning Beichen.
With a thought, Ning Beichen directed the Bronze Ancient Sword to stab towards the head within the black mist.
"Hahaha, foolish! Don't you know this black mist can corrode all weapons?" The head, or rather the demon soul, jeered loudly.
Although Ning Beichen felt uncertain, he resolutely thrust forward, believing his Bronze Ancient Sword could withstand the black mist.
As the demon soul mocked him, the Bronze Ancient Sword pierced its head. A piercing scream echoed from within the black mist.
"No! Impossible! How can you harm me? I will devour you!" The demon soul within the black mist roared repeatedly.
"Tch, shouting loudly helps? Let me tell you, this is called impotent rage. Come over if you dare!" Ning Beichen's soul, appearing as a tiny figure, beckoned provocatively, enraging the demon soul further.
Then, a mass of mist surged towards Ning Beichen.
"Be careful, don't let the mist touch you!" A Pang in the back urgently shouted, but it was too late. The black mist instantly enveloped Ning Beichen. Only then did A Pang's voice reach him.
"Damn it, why didn't you say so earlier!" Ning Beichen, enveloped by the black mist, finally heard A Pang's warning, but it was already too late.
"Hahaha... Human soul, I will swallow you whole." The demon soul appeared before Ning Beichen, like a giant.
"Swallow me? That depends on whether you have such a good appetite!" Ning Beichen mentally controlled the Bronze Ancient Sword and suddenly struck out from the black mist.
The demon soul, aware of the sword's power, dared not underestimate it and quickly dodged. Ning Beichen, with his mind, commanded the Bronze Ancient Sword to pursue it.
However, Ning Beichen soon sensed that the black mist was corroding his soul. He hurriedly recalled the Bronze Ancient Sword and quickly retreated from the black mist.
As soon as Ning Beichen emerged, he saw his master preparing to fight with all his might.
"Master, what are you doing?"
"Brat, you're alright?" Chen Xingyun was overjoyed to see Ning Beichen return from the black mist.
"I'm fine. But that black mist can corrode souls, Master. You must not enter it." Ning Beichen told him.
Chen Xingyun nodded and then asked, "Where is that demon soul?"
"That demon soul fears my Bronze Ancient Sword and shouldn't dare to approach for now," Ning Beichen replied.
"That's good. But can this sword really stop him?" Chen Xingyun asked with some concern.
"I don't know. For now, it seems it can. But I'm unsure what other abilities or cards the demon soul has," Ning Beichen, not getting overconfident, analyzed calmly.
"Look, the black mist seems to be retreating." As the master and disciple spoke, they saw the black mist receding outwards.
"We can't let it go, or it will attract a large number of demon souls!" A Pang cried out in extreme panic.
Hearing A Pang's words, Ning Beichen immediately commanded the Bronze Ancient Sword to strike at the black mist.
Soon, two demon soul screams were heard from within the black mist.
However, when Ning Beichen prepared to pursue further, he found that the demon soul was no longer anywhere in the black mist.
"Could it be... the demon soul was killed by the Bronze Ancient Sword?" Ning Beichen muttered, but he didn't sense any indication that the Bronze Ancient Sword had killed it.
"It escaped, this is bad, we must leave here quickly." At this moment, A Pang climbed out from a corner and floated to Ning Beichen's soul, saying in utter panic.
"Escape? The outside is full of storms. Where can we escape to?" Ning Beichen and Chen Xingyun exchanged glances, both wearing wry smiles.